Buckle



(No Model.)

0,0. SHELBY.`

` BUGKLB'. Patented July 7, 1891.

. most convenientform of the buckle for secur- `companyingpdrawiugs, forming a part of this 1 marked thereon.

rr'i'cn.

CHRlSTOPHER C. SHELBY, OF PATERSON, NEV JERSEY.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 455,642, dated July 7', 1891.

Application filed November 4, 1890. Serial'llo. 370,330. (No model.)

To all whom/.it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. SHEL- BY, of Patersomin the coun ty of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspender- Buckles; and I do hereby declare the followingI to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being` had to the acspeciiicatiomand to the letters of reference This invention has for its object to provide a suspender-buckle which shallbe cheap, du-` rable, and capable of being easily adjusted, and which when adjusted will remain in its position of adjustment against any pressure which is likely to be brought to bear against the same inordinary use.

The invention consists in certain novel def tails of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention, showing its application to a suspender-end. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through one end of the buckle shown in Fig. l with the tongue thrown back. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan of theY same Withparts broken away to illustrate the construction more clearly. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a modilied form of the buckle adapted particularly for use in connection with rings or loops on the suspenderends. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of modified forms of the buckle with the tongues thrown back to illustrate the manner of forming the holding-teeth.

Similar letters of reference in thel several figures indicate the saine parts.

It is one of the objectsof the present invention to provide av buckle which will be locked by the application of the suspenderend, but which is capable of being adjusted to shorten the suspender without being released from said end, and the simplest and ing this object is shown inFig. l, wherein* A indicates the buckle-frame, preferably formed ofv Wire, and has a rectangular portion through which the webbing passes over `a cross-bar B, and a depending` loop-extension for the engagement ofthe siispeudenend, said frame being substantially flat-that is to say, every part ofthe same occupies the same plane and the cross-barB for the sake ot con `venience, in that it permits the webbing C to pass moie readily, and the whole to liemperfectly fiat when locked is bent out and lies to one side of the plane of the buckle-frame, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen the cross-piece passes straight across with. its inner face in a straightline between the outer surface of the wire torming the frame.

On the top cross-piece of the buckle-frame is pivoted the ton gue E, carrying the'engaging points or teeth c, which pass into or through the webbing. This Vtongue and the points thereon may be of lvarious constructions; butin the preferred form shown inthe figures last above mentioned a piece of wire F, having' its central portion formed. into a depending loopf, adapted to be held lin intrmate relation with the depending loop of the buckle-frame, preferably by the attaching devices of the suspender-end, as will presently appear, is secured to the top cross-piece by a sheetnmetal pivotal piece G, which is bent around the top cross-piece and has'an outwardly-,extending ear or'projection embracing. the ends of the wire loop F. The holding points or teeth are preferably formed by the ends of the loop F, which are bent around, as shown in Fig. 3, and given the proper curve to rest against the cross-bar when the two depending loops are brought together, said cross-bar being toothless and practically smooth, permitting the web to slide freely over it when the locking-lever is `thrown back.

To give room within the pivotal piece G for the curved parts of the loop F where they bend out to form the holding-points, the ends of the wire forming the buckle-frame are eut oft short and the pivotal piece itself forms the top cross-piece at the center.

Where the pivotal piece is extended, it forms a covering-plate for the part ofthe webbing lying within the rectangular portion of the buckle-frame, and maybe ornamented IOO in any desired manner, the loop, when one-is employed, being secured by lugs or ears.

In Fig. 5 the ends of the loop are bent quite similar to those in Figs. 1,2, and 3; but instead of passing clear down to the cross-piece they are held by ears on the pivotal piece some distance above the cross-piece.

In Fig. G the ends of the loop are crossed, and are held by a single ear passing over both, as Will be readily understood. f

The holding points or teeth, it will be 0bserved, project toward the bottom or attaching loop of the buckle-frame, and therefore hold the Web firmly against movement in a direction to release the same, While permitting of its quick and easy adjustment in the opposite direction, there being no teeth on the cross-bar to prevent such movement; but as said teeth are located on the locking-lever and not on the buckle-frame they may be easily and quickly released by throwing the lever up, when the Web may be moved in either direction Without obstruction.

The loops on the locking-lever and buckleframe may be ot any preferred form, either simple loops or hooks, as shown in Fig. 4f, in which instance the strain is brought to bear on the locking-lever as Well as on the buckle-frame. In fact, this is so in all the forms shown, as Where simple loops are employed a hook is provided on the suspenderend-such, for instance, as shown in Fig. l, Where I) indicates the hook, and p the springtongue thereof, which prevents the escape of the loops.

It Will be particularly noted that the teeth or points on the locking-lever project in the direction of the loop to which the fabric is secured or in the opposite direction to direction 'of pull when in use.

The buckle may be made very cheaply, and while it is ot' light appearance and small it Willbe found strong and durable, all the strain being in the direction ot the length of some of the metal portions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is* l. Inra suspender-buckle, the combination, with the buckle-frame formed of Wire with the toothless cross-piece secured thereto, of the locking-lever formed of wire with the loop for the engagement of the co-operating member pivotally connected to the frame and having its ends pointed and turned toward the engaging-loop to form holding-teeth between Which and the cross-bar the web is held, substantially as described.

3. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, With the buckle-frame formed of Wire, with the toothless cross-piece secured thereto, of the locking-lever formed of Wire, With the loop for the engagement of the co-operating member and having its ends turned back to form holdin g-teeth, and a sheet-metal pivotal piece bent around the buckle-traineand around the the base ot the locking-lever, substantially as described.

3. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, with the buckle-frame, ot' the locking-lever formed With the Wire loop having its ends turned back and forming holding teeth or points, and the sheet-metal pivotal piece pivotally connected to the buckle-f rame and having the lugs or ears embracing the lockinglever, substantially as described.

4f. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, with the buckle -frame and locking -lever formed with the Wire loop having its ends bent back and forming holding teeth or points, of the sheet-metal pivotal piece surroundin g the top piece of the buckle-frame and pivoting thereon, said pivotal piece being .extended to form a covering-plate and having ears or lugs embracing the locking-lever to hold the same in place, substantially as described.

CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY.

W'itnesses:

EDWARD R.y WEISS, JAMES G. BLAUVEL'L. 

